Corning Fiber Patents Upheld in Lawsuit

Fiber optic giant Corning Inc. (Corning, NY) has finally achieved resolution on patent infringement suits filed in the US and the UK against Plasma Optical Fibre B.V. (POF; Eindhoven, the Netherlands), Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Co. (Wuhan, China), and Chromatic Technologies Inc. (Franklin, MA). According to Corning, the companies manufactured optical fiber using a patented coating process, then attempted to the subsequent cabled fiber into the US and UK (see Photonics week in Review and Corning Files Complaint Against Fiber Companies).

The settlement will result in two consent orders being issued, one by the U.S. International Trade Commission and the other by the High Court of Justice in the United Kingdom, confirming that the patents are valid and enforceable.

In addition to acknowledging the patent validity, the ITC order contains a provision that the three companies will not, without Corning's consent, import into the US, sell for importation into the US, or sell within the US after importation any optical fiber manufactured using the Corning process. Similarly, the UK order also enjoins POF from importing fiber made by the patented process into the UK.